Chapter 68. [Case Eleven] Everyone Returns to Dust
As soon as the short-haired man said these words, it was beyond the expectations of everyone present. He was holding a mobile phone in his hand, and his hands were shaking slightly, as if he still couldn't believe it. Hu Zongren walked up to him and said, look carefully.
Is this really your mother? The short-haired man stared at the photos on his phone, looked at them again and again, and said with great certainty, yes, this is my mother.
I quickly asked the short-haired man to explain the situation in detail. He put down his mobile phone, sat down on the stool closest to him slumped, and told us that his surname was Chen, a native of Shapingba District, and that he had poor academic performance in his early years.
He went out to serve as a soldier at the age of 10. After majoring, he started doing business with his friends. Over the past ten years, he has made a lot of money and has many properties under his name. In addition to some of the stores where he originally started his business, he also used his spare money.
I joined this fast food restaurant and became the agent of this fast food brand in this area. His father was also a soldier in his early years and died during the Vietnam War. Boss Chen said that he was still very young at that time, so his impression of his father was basically
It’s not very profound. From childhood to adulthood, it was my mother who pulled me up until I went out to serve as a soldier.
Boss Chen said that he has two older brothers in his family. Among the three brothers, he is the only one who has made his mark. The eldest brother and the second brother are not living a good life. So when their mother retires, the three brothers have a lot of problems because of their mother’s support.
There was a big difference of opinion. The eldest brother said that his condition and health were not good and he did not have the extra energy to take care of his mother. The second brother said that he had no money and that his mother had always favored the third child the most since he was a child, so he was unwilling to bear the obligation to support him.
, Boss Chen himself is busy with business matters and really can't spare time to take care of the old man, but he said that he is willing to bear the old man's alimony, but he needs his two brothers to take turns to take care of him. How many brothers?
There was no quarrel and it became very unpleasant. Since that incident, there has been very little communication between us.
Boss Chen said that at that time, my mother saw that our children were unhappy with each other because of this matter, so she said that we no longer needed to take care of her. The three of us brothers could pool the money to hire a nanny for her. I was really busy with business at the time, so
At first I thought it was a very compromise method, so I agreed. However, in the next few years, the eldest and second brothers basically never took care of my mother, and I even paid for the nanny by myself.
Boss Chen said that it didn’t cost much in the first place, but he just felt uncomfortable when he thought about it. Several times, his mother said that the stove at home was broken and the water pipes were rusty, and she called her sons to help repair it.
, but the two brothers found various reasons to refuse, so they had no choice but to find workers to help their mother repair it. Later, the mother's house faced demolition, and the land near the Shapingba business district was at a premium.
, at this time, the eldest brother and the second brother ran out again, rushing to transfer their household registration to their mother before the demolition, just to be able to share part of the headcount and demolition fees during the demolition. So at that time, the three
The brothers sat down again to study the issue of supporting the elderly.
Boss Chen said, I am living a good life, and I think I am not short of that little money, but the house is my mother's lifelong property, so I will not divide it up. My mother also repeatedly told the three brothers that she will wait until she dies.
Now, all his property belongs to the three of them. So that day, when the brothers talked about their mother again, Boss Chen said that he had gradually let go of his business in recent years and had more time, so he could take turns with the brothers.
To take care of my mother, in order to share the demolition fee, the eldest and second brothers agreed that my mother would live with the three brothers for three months in each family, in order of eldest and youngest. After the negotiation was completed, the demolition consent form was signed, and my mother moved to the eldest brother's house first.
After living at home for three months, when it was the second brother's turn, the second brother began to shirk it again, saying that his house was small and there were so many people that he couldn't fit in anymore.
Help take care of the elderly.
Boss Chen said, I was angry at that time. I told you that your place is small and I will rent you a big house. You must take care of your mother as agreed. As a result, after renting the house, my second brother did take care of my mother in the first month, but when the time came,
When I went to visit my mother in the third month, I found that my mother was no longer in the big house I rented. When I asked the second brother where my mother was, the second brother said that my mother had moved to the small house where the second brother used to live. Boss Chen
Tell me, do you think I was angry at that time? I spent money to rent a house so that my second brother could take care of my mother. As a result, he drove her to live alone in his old small house. The whole family lived happily.
In the house I rented with money, the two brothers had a fight that day. Mr. Chen also quit the rent that day and took his mother to his home.
Boss Chen said, don’t look at me for my age. I am not married yet or have children, so my family is relatively big and my mother has a place to live. My eldest brother’s condition is not good, and the rest of his life will not be good.
I planned to continue to trouble him, but the second brother felt sick just thinking about it and stopped interacting with him at all. But he was a businessman after all, so he spent relatively little time at home, so he hired a nanny to help with housework.
, and accompanied the old lady by the way. A year ago, I was a little implicated in Chongqing’s turbulent red-black movement and some business dealings, so I didn’t stay at home most of the time. It was during this period that my mother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.
If you fall off the bed, you can't get back.
After speaking, Boss Chen stretched out his hand and wiped his tears and said, "I have been making money all these years. I have earned this money. I want to be a dutiful son but I have no chance. At the funeral of their mother, the three brothers all regretted it and said that they had not been able to take good care of themselves during their lifetime."
Accompanying the old man, I had already become disillusioned with my two brothers. My mother died in a hurry and left no will. I didn’t get any of the expenses for the resettlement house, and I gave them all to my two brothers.
, knowing that their conditions were relatively poor, it can be considered that the mother helped her two sons before she died.
Boss Chen's initial arrogance and domineering attitude has disappeared. Now he is sitting there slumped, just a remorseful son. So Hu Zongren and I spoke to him a lot more politely. Hu Zongren asked him, was your mother a good person before she died?
She has Alzheimer's disease, because Xiaotian said that the old lady seemed to be unconscious. Boss Chen said that there was no dementia, but that she was a little anxious, which led to high blood pressure and cerebral hemorrhage. I told Hu Zongren that Xiaotian heard
The old lady couldn't speak clearly, maybe because the 49-day period had passed. Hu Zongren asked Boss Chen again, did your mother often come to your store before she was alive? She shouldn't. If so, you
How could these store clerks not recognize them?
Boss Chen said that he took over the store after his mother passed away, and her mother had never been here. Hu Zongren said, you are such a rich man, why does your mother look so plainly dressed? Mr. Chen
He said that he couldn't understand this. When his mother lived with him, he was well-fed and well-dressed. He often bought new clothes for his mother, and her mother often wore new clothes. But look at the clothes in this photo. They are so old, like
It’s the style of the 1970s and 1980s…
When he said this, Boss Chen suddenly opened his mouth and was stunned. Then he looked at the photo again, ignoring the surprised eyes of his employees around him, and burst into tears. We didn't know why he was so angry.
He started crying, and he even knelt down on the ground crying. Seeing that he was crying so sadly, Hu Zongren and I didn't stop him. As a man, we are willing to cry like this in front of outsiders.
Fa, if he is not too fragile, he must be heartbroken and unbearable. If he tries to persuade him, it may be meaningless. After crying for a while, he stood up and sat back down, and a clerk handed him a hand.
A pack of toilet paper for him to wipe away his tears.
Boss Chen held his cell phone, looked at the photos on the screen, and said with sobs, "I remembered, this is the outfit my mother wore when she came to pick me up from school every day when I went to school nearby."
I have watched a lot of TV dramas that reflect that era, so I know that although the old lady's dress looks very vulgar now, everyone dressed up like that at that time. Boss Chen said that when he was a child, he was more playful, and Shapingba was not as playful as it is now.
It was so prosperous that I always didn't go home on time after school. Every time, my mother would find me from those little bookstores or places selling candy paintings. And every time my mother came to pick me up, she would always hold an umbrella.
He said that it was because he was afraid of rain on the way home. Xiaotian was also crying a little at this time and said that the old woman said that he missed the child, but actually she missed you. She knew in her consciousness that you were the boss here, so every day
They all come here to look for you, wearing old clothes and carrying old umbrellas. They probably just want to take you home. But I have been working here for such a long time, and you have never been here except today. The old lady has been waiting for you for a long time.
Damn it, I refuse to leave.
Now that the matter has been clarified, although I sympathize with the old lady, we all know that it is unreasonable for her to appear in this way, even if it is because she misses her son. So I told Boss Chen that many people said that being a ghost is not a good idea.
Not letting you go usually expresses a kind of resentment. Your mother has turned into a ghost and comes to see you, but it is a kind of longing for you. The reason why your mother did not go to find her other two sons is also because
She knows that you are the best person to her, so don’t blame yourself too much. Now that the matter is clear, come up with us and see the old lady for the last time. Then ashes will return to ashes, dust will return to dust. We are done with her and she will see her son.
Send her on her way with your mother's wish, and you must continue to live a good life with your mother's thoughts in mind.
Boss Chen wiped away his tears and followed us upstairs. The difference this time was that the employees who were originally screaming and screaming in fear also spontaneously followed us upstairs, but Hu Zongren did not let them get close.
Instead, he stayed far away in a corner where the toilet could not be seen. After opening the door, the old woman appeared quickly and saw her son. Boss Chen also knelt on the ground and kowtowed and cried bitterly because he saw his mother again.
.Hu Zongren and I gave the mother and son some time alone, because after this, they may only be able to recall from the photos. After Boss Chen opened the door and walked out, I accompanied Boss Chen downstairs, and Hu Zongren
Zongren got into the toilet and sent the old woman on her way.
After collecting the money and leaving the fast food restaurant, Hu Zongren and I stood at the door smoking. He was thoughtful and didn't say a word. He didn't say a word until he threw away the cigarette butt and then told me, brother, I listen to you, I have decided to marry Xiao Nizi.
I said, congratulations. He said, this will give me a reason to bring my mother here and live with me.